The Mission: Be Ready (Part 2)
Acts: The Mission of the Church • Sermon • Submitted
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(Passage is Acts 21:37-22:29.)
The movie “The End of the Spear” tells the true story of five missionaries who gave their lives to reach the violent Waodoni tribe in the jungles of Ecuador in the 1950s. Led by Nate Saint, the missionaries were eager to reach the Waodoni people for Christ before they all died off from their intertribal warfare and vicious revenge killings.
As Nate prepared for his adventure, his family gathered around him on the dirt airstrip in front of their house. As he kissed his wife goodbye, his son, Steve, glanced at the gear in the plane and noticed a rifle. Obviously worried, he turned and asked his father, “If the Waodoni attack, will you use your guns? Will you defend yourselves?”
Nate looked his son in the eye and responded, “Son, we can’t shoot the Waodoni. They’re not ready for heaven. We are.” Nate understood the fate of the unbeliever as compared to his own fate. He was ready to face whatever trials were ahead and he didn’t wish the Waodoni people to experience the eternal pain of hell before they had a chance to hear the gospel.
Nate and the four other men were killed by the Waodoni that day, but God used those events to cause the tribe to turn to him later on.
We are in a portion of text that should cause us to ask ourselves, “Am I ready?” Acts chapters 21-23 shows that Paul was indeed ready to honor God when life got hard.
When we are not ready, hardships that await us will suck joy out of our lives, leaving us defeated and hopeless. Being ready means honoring God with our words, actions, and thoughts like Nate and the four other missionaries did and this morning I want to show you from our text that Paul was ready.
(SLIDE: TEMPLE MOUNT)
Last week we read that a great Jewish mob incited a riot on the temple mount. This mob looked nothing like Jesus Christ because they “seized” Paul “dragged” him, were “seeking to kill” him by “beating” him, then the Roman Soldiers garrisoned nearby in the tower of Antonia “arrested” “bound” carrying him into the barracks.” Acts 21:31-39 prove that...
Paul was ready to respectfully submit to the government. (Acts 21:37-22:29)
Paul was ready to respectfully submit to the government. (Acts 21:37-22:29)
Let’s see what our text, Acts 21:37-40, tells us...
37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, “May I say something to you?” And (the tribune) said, “Do you know Greek? 38 Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?” 39 Paul replied, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.”
If you were following the Canadian trucker protests this past week, you might know that protest was very peaceful and calm compared to the George Floyd protests in Seattle. What the protesting Canadians did not do is just as significant as what they did do.
It is the same with Paul in these verses. Paul did not scream, yell, swear, or attack the soldiers or crowd. He didn’t pull a Peter and lop off a soldier’s ear. He didn’t loot and pillage. What did Paul do? Paul looked like Christ because he was ready!
Paul was a Godly example to others. (Php 4:9)
In Philippians 4:9 Paul encouraged Christians to respond to hardships as Paul and Jesus did.
Philippians 4:9 (ESV) “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
The Jerusalem church, which was embroiled in conflict was watching him. James and the other living apostles were watching him, and as far as we know, his eight travel companions were still in Jerusalem and watching him.
Jesus once said, “By their fruit you shall know them.” Tense situations always reveal what our hearts value. Tension always reveals our fruit. What fruit juices came out when Paul was squeezed? Love for his persecutors, joy,peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Spirit control). Paul honored God with flying colors!
We know Paul was ready because...
Paul practiced what he preached. (Rom 3:1-2)
Paul, moved by the Spirit penned the most doctrinally intense book in the Bible because he, believed his time on earth was drawing to a close. Other books of the New Testament are like drinking lattes with milk and syrup, but Reading Romans is like drinking black coffee.
I find it fascinating that the ink in Romans 13:1-2 was still wet when Paul told the Ephesian pastors, “I am ready.” Paul had just written these words....
Romans 13:1–2 (ESV) Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.
What was Paul ready to do? He was ready to practice what he preached and wrote. He was ready to show us how to submit to a tyrannical government in a manner that pleases God. What did he do in response to his arrest?
Paul asked two respectful questions. (Acts 21:37-39)
And as we consider Paul’s questions, we need to know that the Roman legal system was very different our legal system. When Roman authorities arrested someone, that person was guilty until proven innocent.
In Acts 21:37-39, Claudius and his soldiers did not intervene out of the kindness of their hearts. They intervened, 1. to prevent the Jewish mob from further breaking the law and 2. because they assumed Paul was guilty of something.
So it is even more remarkable that Paul submissively asked his first question, knowing Claudius assumed he was guilty of something. Paul asked this simple, respectful question: “may I say something to you?” Claudius said what was on his mind. Claudius assumed that Paul was the same Egyptian Jew who, three years earlier had plotted an insurrection against the Roman Government. Paul couldn’t have been that man. Three years earlier, he had been in Ephesus.
Look at Paul’s respectful and honestly reply. In verse 39, he said, “I am a Jew (keep that in mind, it will be important in a moment) from Tarsus, a citizen of no obscure city.”
Then he asked a second respectful question. It was more like a statement, but a question nonetheless. He said, “I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.” or “Will you please allow me to speak to the people?”
Claudius was legally obligated to prove Paul’s guilt. He did permit Paul to speak, but probably not out of the kindness of his heart. Paul hadn’t “lawyered up” so Claudius might have hoped Paul would 1. say something that could be used against him in court or 2. that Paul would say something to help him prevent the riot from becoming worse.
What a better way for God to show his power! God caused a tyrannical government to give the Gospel a stage in front of a huge audience.
We need to know...
When God’s people respond like Jesus, God will reveal His great power! (Ps 50:15)
Why does God need to prove his power when we are acting big? If we act like we are in control, why does God need to intervene?
As a parent sometimes I have to kind of sit back when one of my children is stubborn, kind of cross my arms and watch what happens. sometimes I think, “all right, let’s see just how well you can do this on your own. That won’t work out for you for very long.”
But when we admit our weaknesses and call out to him, he wants to respond and prove just how big he is!
Psalm 50:15 (ESV) “and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”
That describes Paul’s situation perfectly, which brings us to verse 40...
Acts 21:40 (ESV) “And when (Claudius Lysias) had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language,”
This verse is so interesting…
On a normal day, only 100,000-250,000 people at most were on the temple mount at any given time. You might remember that the Ephesus theater could only hold about 75,000 people.
Ancient historians recorded that over a million people were probably in Jerusalem celebrating the days of Pentecost/ Feast of Weeks. The temple mount covered about 35 acres which means that one million people could fit on the temple mount at any given time. And we know from verses 30 and 31 that the whole city was stirred up and rushed to the temple.
Paul depended on God for opportunities to share the hope of salvation. God answered by providing Paul what may have been the biggest crowd Paul had spoken to up to that point.
Look at the examples of God’s power! That rioting shouting mob immediately became silent. Disrespectful people became respectful. The disorderly became orderly and the rebellious became submissive. The Roman government didn’t cause the hush… God’s power caused the hush! That silence was similar to the calm when Jesus immediately stopped the raging storm on the sea of Galilee.
Paul was permitted to speak, and in verse 40, Paul made a gesture that indicated that he was ready to speak. Today, we raise our hand to get attention, back then this is the recommended gesture orators would have used, and with that...
Paul was ready to share Christ with his persecutors. (Acts 21:40-22:21)
Paul was ready to share Christ with his persecutors. (Acts 21:40-22:21)
Acts 21:40–22:21 (ESV)
40 And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying: 1 “Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.” 2 And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet.
And he said: 3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day.
Here is another example of Paul being all things to all people. Being all things to all people can sound fake and is dishonest because Satan likes twisting things that good and pure and wholesome. “Being all things to all people” is finding honest and genuine ways to connect with people.
When we examine what Paul said in his speech we see he was being completely honest. There was nothing shady in what he said or how he lived out that principle. A really easy way to be all things to all people is, actively connecting our stories to other’s stories...
Connecting our stories to other’s stories is a practical way to prove that Jesus is God’s son.
Paul spoke of his Jewish heritage, not just once, but twice now. That was a connection he had with the crowd.
Paul spoke of his connection to Jerusalem, he grew up there and the crowd started paying attention.
Then, they realized Paul was speaking in their own native tongue instead of Greek and they became even more quiet.
Paul found a fourth way to connect with the crowd. All the zealous Jews would have recognized Gamaliel’s name for Gamaliel was, like them zealous for the law.
We can read of the fifth connection Paul had with the crowd in verses 3-5.
Paul connected with them and turned their shaking heads into nodding heads! When I read these verses, I can imagine seeing nodding heads and hearing some “Amen’s” from the crowd. Connecting our stories to other people’s stories is important.
In verse 3, he said, “I was zealous for God just like you are,
4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, 5 as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.
“I can relate to you! I know where you are coming from! I once did what you are doing now. I understand you! Let me tell you how God set me free from that very thing!” And then he launched into his salvation testimony and the Jews respectfully listened to him.
But why did Paul say they were zealous for God when they were clearly not acting like God’s people? It is because Paul was building a bridge between him and them so he could lead them across the bridge.
You can read the rest of Paul’s speech this afternoon, because I really need to touch on another reason why Paul called the crowd “zealous for God and I want to end on this point.
We know we are ready when we can be gracious to “murderous” people!
We know we are ready when we can be gracious to “murderous” people!
Paul’s actions throughout his missionary journey and toward this crowd prove Paul was ready. Paul was ready to extend the fullest measure of God’s grace toward even the most wicked and violent people.
This is called grace-based living.
and is an incredibly foundational principle for Christian living. Grace-based living proves God’s power and is how we connect our stories to other’s stories. So what is grace-based living? Grace-based living starts when I believe...
Grace-based living is believing I deserve much worse. (Ps 25:11; Rom 3:23-24)
Look at the screen and or you Bible to see what the Psalmist had to say about this principle in...
Psalm 25:11 (ESV) “For your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great.”
Romans 3:23–24 (ESV) “for I have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift through Christ Jesus”
Charles Spurgeon summed it up like this:
“If any man thinks ill of you, do not be angry with him, for you are far worse than he thinks you to be.”
(pause)
Grace-based living is believing the best about people who are showing their worst! (Acts 21:24-25)
Consider the differences in our passage...
The Jews assumed the worst about Paul. They believed he violated the law, and almost murdered him because of their belief.
Claudius Lysias assumed the worst about Paul. He believed Paul was a criminal and an insurrectionist. If we fast forward to Acts 21: 24-25 Claudius also incorrectly assumed Paul was a Jew and NOT a Roman citizen. Sure, Paul said two times, “I am a Jew” and Claudius had Paul bound to be whipped. He acted on what he assumed to be true instead of what actually was true.
Then consider Paul’s response. Paul could have preached a hellfire and brimstone sermon to the crowd, but he didn’t do that. Paul assumed the best about others who were showing their worst. Instead of saying, “repent because you are all doomed to hell” he gently said “I was once zealous for God as you are” “I deserved the worst penalty God can give, but God gave me the richest reward instead. God does impossible things! Let me show you a better way!”
Grace-based living is believing “I don’t know” but God does. I am not the judge, but God is. All I know is that Christ was gentle.
You might respond, “but Pastor, Christ was not always gentle. He flipped the money-changers’ tables over, and he called the Pharisees “white-washed tombs.” That wasn’t gentle!
And I would respond, Christ can do that because He is God, we are not. Christ didn’t assume anything. He was God. As God, He clearly knew the money changers’ motives and as God, he has the right and responsibility to dispense justice. Jesus is judge, He can and should dispense justice and He is the only one that is able to properly judge men’s hearts.
We cannot read peoples’ minds; therefore, we must assume we are missing some critical facts. All I know is that we are simply called to trust and obey, and that starts when we believe the best about people who show their worst.
Grace-based living is speaking gently to people who speak harshly to us. (Col 4:6)
In Isaiah 53, which we read last week, Jesus acted like and spoke like a gentle lamb toward the violently abused Him. Jesus was gentle and gracious when things were really tough for him. Gracious speech is possible because Jesus did it even when he was bruised for our sins and hung on the cross.
Gracious speech is possible because Paul modeled it for us in the middle of great persecution. We must be kind and gentle and gracious when we speak to people. Look at what Col 4:6 teaches us...
Colossians 4:6 (ESV) 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
When should we speak with grace? Always and in every situation. Paul was ready because he tried to always speak gently.
I’ll share one more important foundation for grace-based living this morning.
Grace-based living is believing God can do the impossible. (Jer 32:17; Lk 1:37; Acts 22:21-22)
The Jews listening to Paul on the temple mount did not believe God can do the impossible. Look at Acts 22:21-22...
21 And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ” 22 Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.”
They didn’t lose it at Paul’s impossible conversion experience on the road to Damascus, they lost it when Paul mentioned Gentile salvation. The Jews didn’t believe Gentile salvation was possible and they didn’t want to hope that it was possible. The impossible was an excuse for them to use violence against fellow man.
Listen to these verses, look them up later, maybe tape them to your mirror or above your kitchen sink. They are critical for grace-based living...
Jeremiah 32:17 (ESV) “‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.”
and...
Luke 1:37 (ESV) “For nothing will be impossible with God.”
How can we prove the impossible change Christ is doing in us unless we act in an impossible way?
Wasn’t that the beauty of Christ’s conversation with the woman at the well in Jn 4? Jesus met a woman who was drawing water during the heat of the day because the community believed her sin was greater than their sin. Christ told her of all the sins she ever did and was willing to forgive her sins and look at what she did because God does impossible things...
She ran and told everyone in the village about Jesus and the town came out to also hear Christ. Do you know why? It is because of Christ’s power. “If God can forgive HER great sin, he can surely forgiven my insignificant sin.” Of course, if they thought that, they missed the point of the Old Testament law. There is no such thing as an insignificant sin.
Because Christ did the impossible, we must act in impossible ways and that way is grace-based living.
Are we ready to always give grace?
Are we ready to always give grace?
This is a big question. It is a hard question and the answer is probably “no.” Grace-based living sounds good, but it is a really hard thing to live out because it conflicts with our own idea of justice. Grace-based living is hard because we have to constantly trust God in every situation every moment of the day and it is hard because sometimes we just think we know best and are now willing to wait on God’s timing to deal with things.
Are we ready to always give grace? Let’s train for that!
PRAYER IDEAS
PRAYER IDEAS